BISHOP RESIGNS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 691, 17 June 1929, Page 14

BISHOP RESIGNS

DIOCESE OF WAIAPU YOUNGER MAN NEEDED NAPIER, Sunday. The Bishop of Waiapu, Dr. W. W. Sedgwick, has tendered his resignation to the Primate, Archbishop Averill, to take effect at the end of the present year. The bishop gives as his reason that he feels that the work of the diocese should be in the charge of a younger man with full vigour. Bishop Sedgwick succeeded Archbishop Averill as Bishop of Waiapu 15 years ago. Bishop Sedgwick retires from active church work after a career of service and adventure in many lands. He was born in 1858, the son of the Rev. A. Sedgwick. rector of Fremantle. His first school was at Maidstone, Kent, and at St. Martin’s York, whence he went to Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he took his degree in 1881. He was ordained in 1882 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and served his first curacy in Walteringbury, in the diocese of Canterbury. Then followed a period in the navy, which he entered as a chaplain in 1884. He served in the marine battalion at Suakim, being chaplain to the land forces and visiting the ships. For his services he received the Suakim medal and clasp, and the Khedive’s bronze star. From 1885 to 1886 he was chaplain on board H.M.S. Thunderer, and on leaving the navy he accepted the living of St. Patrick’s, Hockley Heath, where, he remained from 1886 to 1889. Ho then became rector of Vryburg, Bechuanaland. South Africa, where he ministered from 1889 to 1893. Until 1896 he was rector of Bedford, Cape Colony, and then he returned to England, and for a few months held a curacy at Eveshot, Dorset. Until 1901 he was private chaplain to the Earl of Home, but, being desirous of further service in the colonies, he accepted the cure of Waikari, North Canterbury, which he held from 1901 t.o 1903. He was vicar of Akaroa till 1904, and then became vicar of St. Luke’s. Christchurch, where he remained until 1913, where Bishop Julius appointed him canon of Christchurch Cathedral and diocesan missioner. When Bishop Averill was chosen to take charge of the Auckland diocese, in 1914, Canon Sedgwick succeeded him, being consecrated bishop on February 22.